Reunion
by Lufia1
Summary: This story takes the timeline sideways a bit. Molly's love brings Nephlyte back from the dead....
1. Reunion, Chapter 1

Reunion--chapter 1   
by Lufia   
  
Note: Sailor Moon doesn't belong to me (I wish it did, but oh well.) It belongs to a very gifted woman named Naoko Takeuchi. It also belongs to Kodansha, Toei, DiC, Mixx, Cloverway, and many other people I can't even begin to name. In other words, don't sue me, please. I'm a poor college student who likes to write, that's all.   
  
Further Note: I'm using the DiC dub names in this fanfic because it's the series I know best. Being an American, I don't have access to all the pretty Japanese episodes, except through the internet realplayer files and friendly neighborhood fansubbers. I do, however, have access to Cartoon Network, and have seen the entire English run several times over. That being said, enjoy the fic!   
  
  
  
Molly tossed fitfully in her sleep. Her blankets were twisted up and had been shoved off the side of the mattress by a flailing hand. Her eyes were squeezed tight and her brows furrowed. She clenched her hands into fists as she flipped over yet again. It was the same horrible nightmare.   
  
In her dream, Molly was reliving a night from three weeks ago. She sat back against a tree, feeling the chill in the night air through the tears in her thin pajamas. Beside her sat an older man with long hair. He smiled and laughed. His right arm sported a scrap of Molly's pajamas, a makeshift bandage. Molly wiped her eyes with her sleeve as she laughed. Beside her, the man tensed, then turned, pushing her down. Molly's eyes widened as she fell. She hit the ground and cried out. The man was leaning against the tree, a large thorn protruding from his right shoulder. Molly screamed and tried to help him, but it was no use. She couldn't pull the thorn out.   
  
Molly's dream skipped the battle with the Sailor Scouts, and the scene changed to the dying man. Molly held him up, tears streaming down her face. She cried audibly as the man, his body covered in green blood, apologized for not being able to share a chocolate parfait with her.   
  
"I want you to know you're in my heart," the man coughed. His eyes fluttered shut and his head slumped into the cradle of Molly's arm. His body began to glow with a golden light, and slowly disappeared into stardust.   
  
"No!" Molly cried, slumping over, her body wracked with sobs. Through her tears, she noticed the scrap of pajama, stained with the man's blood. She snatched it from the grass and clutched it tightly to her chest. "No!"   
  
"Nephlyte," Molly murmured, clutching her pillow. "No!"   
  
Molly sat bolt upright in bed, a cold sweat breaking across her forehead. Her eyes snapped open, and she stared wildly about her dark room. She fumbled for her blankets and clutched them to her chest tightly. "Every night," she thought. "Every night for three weeks. Will I ever get over this?"   
  
Her head snapped around as she heard her doorknob rattle and turn. Light spilled in from the hallway, framing the form of her mother as she entered. "Molly, are you okay?" she asked, noting the frightened expression on her daughter's face.   
  
Molly nodded her head and tried to compose herself. "Just a nightmare," she replied shakily.   
  
Her mother looked at her worriedly. She pursed her lips and paused before answering. "You haven't been sleeping well for weeks. Is there anything happening at school, Molly? It's not Melvin, is it?"   
  
Molly smiled faintly, shaking her head. "It has nothing to do with Melvin."   
  
"Is it about Maxfield Stanton?   
  
Molly stiffened involuntarily. She looked down at her tangled sheets. "I don't want to talk about it, Mama."   
  
"Molly, I'm worried about you. I'm only trying to help."   
  
"It's nothing, Mama, really," Molly said, her voice sounding harsher than she'd intended. She looked up at her mother, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "It's just a nightmare, Mama. It was a really vivid nightmare, and I don't want to talk about it."   
  
"If you're sure that's all," Molly's mother sighed, looking at her daughter worriedly. "I'm just down the hall if you change your mind."   
  
"Thanks, Mama." Molly gave her mother a little smile as she left the room, closing out the light. She listened to her mother's footsteps recede down the hall, and heard a door shut quietly. Only then did Molly allow her tears to finally fall. She clutched her pillow tightly, sobbing into it to muffle the sound.   
  
"Please don't cry. I hate to see you sad."   
  
Molly looked up, startled, blinking the tears from her eyes. A young man perched on the edge of her bed. His long, wavy brown hair fell over his shoulder as he turned to look at her. His blue eyes locked with her green ones. "Please don't cry," he repeated softly.   
  
Molly stared at him, her eyes wide. She gasped, bringing her trembling hand to her mouth. She couldn't speak. When she finally found her voice some moments later, it came out in an astonished whisper. "Nephlyte? Is it really you?"   
  
Nephlyte nodded. "In a way, yes. I'm here in spirit. I want to help you, Molly."   
  
"Then stay with me! Stay for good!" Molly cried, reaching out for him. She gasped as her fingers passed right through his arm. She snapped her hand back, staring at him incredulously.   
  
Nephlyte chucked lightly. "I said I was here in spirit," he chastised playfully.   
  
Hearing Nephlyte's easy, light-hearted teasing set Molly at ease. Her tensed body relaxed visibly, and the   
pained look on her face melted away to a smile. She giggled slightly.   
  
Nephlyte smiled warmly. "That's better." His voice changed, straining as he spoke. "Oh, Molly, I'm so sorry. I wish I hadn't caused you so much pain." He reached out a hand and cupped it next to her cheek, wishing he could brush it soothingly. "I used you. I stole your energy. I lied to you. I put you in terrible danger so many times. And the worst part is I didn't even care that I was hurting you, not until the very end."   
  
Molly smiled at him. "But you did care, and that's what counts. You rescued me from Zoycite's monsters twice, and you shielded me from that last attack. Nephlyte, you sacrificed your life for me. You wouldn't have done that if you didn't care about me."   
  
"I still don't understand why I did."   
  
Molly looked at him, puzzled.   
  
"Every instinct, every rational thought was screaming at me to save myself. But my heart whispered, 'stay,' so I stayed. I don't understand."   
  
"I do."   
  
Nephlyte looked up, meeting her gaze.   
  
She continued. "I risked my life for you too, remember? When Sailor Moon threw her tiara at you, you would have been killed."   
  
"But you stood in the way," Nephlyte said, wonder filling his voice. "Why?"   
  
"Because knowing you were safe was more important than my life." Molly blushed slightly and turned her head away for an instant. She looked back, staring into Nephlyte's blue eyes fixedly. "I love you, Nephlyte. I want you back with me more than anything, and I would do anything to make that possible, even die myself to be with you."   
  
"No, Molly."   
  
"Yes, I mean it."   
  
Nephlyte sat in silence, considering her words. He remembered back to his last few days on Earth, dwelling on the last day in particular. His eyes widened as he finally allowed himself to realize the feelings he had for her.   
  
"I love you, Molly."   
  
Molly smiled, her eyes filling with tears as he said those words. She'd been waiting a long time to hear him say them. "I know. Only love would have let you act the way you did."   
  
"Oh, Molly, don't cry. I hate to see you upset. Please." Without thinking, Nephlyte lifted his hand to wipe the tears from her cheek. His fingers brushed against her skin gently, catching the tiny droplets and sweeping them away.   
  
Molly's head snapped up. Nephlyte froze, his fingers resting on the soft skin of her face. "What's wrong?"   
  
Not taking her eyes from his, Molly lifted a small hand and tentatively laid her fingers atop his hand. She felt his warm skin under hers, and gasped. She seized his hand violently.   
  
Nephlyte winced. "Too tight."   
  
Molly ignored him. She clutched his hand in both of hers, squeezing it tighter. "You can feel this?"   
  
Nephlyte nodded. His eyes widened as he realized what was going on. He reached out with his other arm and drew Molly to him.   
  
Molly leant into the embrace, resting her head against his chest. She felt the cool, crisp fabric of his lavender shirt scratch her cheek, and, beneath it, the warmth of his body. She held her breath. In the silence, she could hear the steady, rhythmic beating of Nephlyte's heart. For the third time that evening, tears graced Molly's face.   
  
"You're alive," she whispered. She let go of his hand and flung her arms around him tightly. She buried her face in his chest and cried.   
  
Very awkwardly, Nephlyte wrapped his arms around her. He smiled as she squeezed him tighter in reply. He bent his head forward and rested it atop hers. He cast a sideways glance out the window, silently asking the stars for guidance. He had a second chance, a second chance to make things right. Molly's love for him and his self-sacrifice had earned him another chance at life. He swore a silent oath to the stars that he would not ruin it this time.   
  
Molly broke the embrace and looked up at him, her green eyes glistening with tears. He returned her gaze, equally misty eyed, and smiled at her, a full smile. He understood finally what it meant to love and be loved. He felt genuinely happy for the first time in his life.   
  
"I'm never going to leave you again, Molly. Never."   
  
Molly shrugged. "I don't mind, as long as you always come back." Her expression turned serious. "I know this is going to be difficult. Everyone thinks Maxfield Stanton went missing. And if the Negaverse finds out that you're alive, you could be in a lot of trouble. If you have to lay low, I'll understand. We'll get through this together."   
  
Nephlyte nodded. He gazed into her deep green eyes, and was overcome with emotion. He leant down; his eyes closed, and, very gently, kissed her. He could feel Molly smiling as she returned the kiss.   
  
"That was to seal our promise," he told her when he finally pulled away. "We work through this, and everything else, together."   
  
Molly smiled, embracing him tightly.   
  
  
From her place in the heavens, the spirit of Queen Serenity gazed down on Nephlyte and Molly, a faint smile on her lips. Restoring Nephlyte had taken much of her energy, but she felt the end results would be well worth a day or two of weariness. Besides, Nephlyte had unfinished projects to work on. She hoped that he would remember, now that he was completely free of Beryl's influences.   
  
"Find them, Guardian," she whispered. "The Princess will need all the help she can get when the time comes. Be happy, but do not forget your promise to me. Please, find them."


	2. Reunion, Chapter 2

Reunion-chapter 2  
By Lufia, Xelloss no Miko  
Rating:  
Type: Sailor Moon, Romance, AU  
  
Note: Sailor Moon doesn't belong to me (I wish it did, but oh well.) It belongs to a very gifted woman named Naoko Takeuchi. It also belongs to Kodansha, Toei, DiC, Mixx, Cloverway, and many other people I can't even begin to name. In other words, don't sue me, please. I'm a poor college student who likes to write, that's all.   
  
Further Note: I'm using the DiC dub names in this fanfic because it's the series I know best. Being an American, I don't have access to all the pretty Japanese episodes, except through the internet realplayer files and friendly neighborhood fansubbers. I do, however, have access to Cartoon Network, and have seen the entire English run several times over. I happen to like the dub (for what it is), for the most part. That being said, enjoy the fic!  
  
Send all comments to: Nightmare_Queen@Mazoku.zzn.com  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
Molly awoke to the incessant buzz of her alarm clock. She blinked several times, clearing the sleep from her eyes, then stretched an arm out lazily to hit the snooze button. Her hand brushed across a tangle of brown hair. Molly smiled, realizing that what had happened last night hadn't been a dream. Nephlyte was alive, and he had stayed with her. She turned her head and gazed at him. He lay on his side next to her, facing outward, toward the window. She could hear him snoring gently. The alarm hadn't woken him up.  
  
As much as she regretted to so, Molly slid out of bed, careful not to wake Nephlyte, and crept around her room, getting her things together for school. The last thing she needed was for her mother to come in to hound her about school, and to find a man in her daughter's bed. Not that it wasn't perfectly innocent, Molly thought, smiling. After he had kissed her, they had talked for a while, interrupted only by Molly's occasional yawning. Nephlyte had suggested that she get some sleep, and had tucked her in snugly. He had sat on the edge of her bed while she drifted off. He must've fallen asleep himself, despite his assertion that people from the Negaverse rarely needed sleep.  
  
Molly gathered her school uniform into a bundle and padded off to take a shower. She paused at the door, casting a glance back at Nephlyte. She didn't want him to worry if he woke up and she wasn't there. She grabbed a pen and notebook from her desk and scribbled a quick note. She tore the page from the spiral and placed it on her pillow, letting the notebook and pen fall to the floor. She gathered up her clothes again and went out into the hall, closing the door gently behind her.  
  
When she returned half an hour later, she found Nephlyte awake, standing by the window. He was leaning against the glass, gazing down at the city below. He hadn't heard her come in.  
  
"Good morning," Molly said quietly. She blushed slightly.  
  
Nephlyte turned to her, smiling warmly. "Good morning, my love."  
  
Molly's blush deepened, and she ducked her head bashfully for a minute before running up to him and embracing him tightly. Nephlyte was thrown off balance by the sudden tackle, and fell backwards onto the floor, pulling Molly along with him. She cried out, then giggled brightly.  
  
"What?" Nephlyte asked, placing a finger on the tip of her nose.  
  
Molly smiled and shook her head. She lay her head against his chest and sighed. She closed her eyes and smiled more widely as she felt his arms wrap around her.  
  
"Molly?"  
  
Molly and Nephlyte glanced toward the door, their eyes wide. "Just a second, Mama!" Molly called, jumping up and smoothing down her skirt. Nephlyte rolled over onto his stomach and crawled over behind the bed.  
  
"Molly, you're going to be late!"  
  
"I'm coming, Mama!" Molly turned to her bed, tossing an apple to Nephlyte, who caught it and looked at her questioningly. "It's lunch. I'll be home after school. Stay out of sight!" Molly blew Nephlyte a kiss, grabbed her school satchel, then opened the door and dashed out, slamming it shut behind her. She thundered down the stairs, nearly colliding with her mother, who was mounting the stairs to come and get her.  
  
"I'm just leaving, Mama, bye!"  
  
"Wait!"  
  
Molly froze on the bottom step. She slowly turned her face to meet her mother's gaze, hoping her eyes would not betray her apprehension.  
  
"You seem to be feeling much better this morning," her mother said.  
  
Molly smiled up at her mother, her tension dissipating. "I am. A good spirit came and chased my nightmare away."  
  
Molly's mother chuckled lightly, then smiled. "I'm glad."  
  
"Me too. Bye, Mama!" Molly dashed to the back door, pausing only to slip on her loafers, then was out the door and around to the front of the building. She stopped and looked up. Nephlyte stood by her bedroom window, gazing down on her. She flashed a quick smile at him, then broke into a run. She did not want to be late to school today.  
  
  
Everyone at school noticed the change in Molly's demeanor. She was cheerful again. She smiled and laughed and talked with her friends, just like she had before. She teased Melvin, and she passed notes to Serena. She raised her hand to answer questions, much to Miss Haruna's relief. The cloud that had been hanging over her head for weeks was gone.   
  
"Molly!" Serena called to her at lunch. "Molly, come sit over here!" Serena was sitting cross-legged under the cherry tree where the two of them had regularly sat before Molly became depressed. She sat alone, as if waiting for her. Molly smiled and sat down next to her pig-tailed friend, tucking her blue uniform skirt under her carefully.  
  
"Hey, Serena." Molly pulled out her sandwich and took a bite.  
  
"Okay, Molly, I hate to grill you, but what happened? Yesterday you're all doom and gloom, completely depressed, and today you're giggling and you've got the gleam back in your eyes, like you used to have when we'd play a trick on Melvin. What's going on?"  
  
Molly nibbled uneasily on her sandwich, glancing from side to side as she debated telling Serena what had happened. Serena was her best friend, and she could be counted on to keep a secret when it was really important. But, was it even safe to talk about this in public? The Negaverse seemed to target school children, from what Molly had seen, and Nephlyte had admitted to during their discussion. There was a possibility of a Negaverse spy overhearing and reporting back to whoever was in charge, that queen Nephlyte had mentioned. Beryl? Yes, that was it. Molly shuddered at the thought of Queen Beryl knowing where Nephlyte was, and sending Zoycite to finish the job she'd started three weeks earlier.  
  
"Are you okay, Molly?" Serena asked, interrupting her train of thought. Serena placed a hand on Molly's shoulder, and leaned forward. "You looked really worried there for a sec. Is something on your mind? Maybe I can help?"  
  
Seeing the concern in Serena's eyes decided it for Molly. She sighed and turned to face Serena. "Okay, but you've got to promise that you won't tell anyone. This is between you and me. It's a really big secret, and I'm not even sure I should tell you, but I just can't handle this on my own."  
  
"Sure, Mol," Serena said, her voice catching a bit. She leaned in closer, and replied quietly, "go ahead."  
  
Molly took a deep breath. "Well, remember Maxfield Stanton?"  
  
Serena stiffened. "Yes," she said slowly, a hint of bitterness in her voice.  
  
"Remember about three weeks ago when I called you really late, and I told you that I'd just found out that Maxfield was some guy named Nephlyte, and he wanted to find Sailor Moon?"  
  
Serena nodded.  
  
"Well, it turned out that Nephlyte was one of Sailor Moon's enemies from the Negaverse. But he wanted to stop being evil, because he said my love turned him good. He thought I knew Sailor Moon, and wanted me to find her so she could help him. But before I could do anything, these weird monsters came and kidnapped me."  
  
Serena opened her mouth to talk, but Molly waved her quiet. "Let me finish. They were monsters who were helping one of the other people from the Negaverse, a lady called Zoycite. She used me as bait to try and trap Nephlyte, and take a crystal from him. He saved me from the monsters, and we hid in the park for a while. But the monsters found us, and they hit Nephlyte with these energy-sucking thorns. He kept me from getting hurt, but I couldn't even pull the thorns from his shoulder. The sailor scouts came and defeated the monsters, but by then, it was too late to do anything for Nephlyte. He...he..." Molly broke off, crying silently. She bowed her head and wiped furiously at her eyes. She smiled as she felt Serena's hand return to her shoulder and pull her into a hug. "Thanks, Serena, I'm okay. It's still difficult for me. You remember how much I loved Maxfield...I mean Nephlyte. He told me that I would be in his heart, and then...he died. He died in my arms, and there was nothing I could do to help him."  
  
"Oh, Molly," Serena said, squeezing her more tightly. She blinked back the tears that were forming just from listening to Molly's story. "And you've carried this around all this time? You haven't told anyone? Oh, no wonder you were so upset. I'm so sorry."  
  
Molly looked up at Serena, sniffling a bit. "It's okay. Everything's all right now. The most wonderful thing happened last night, and it's made everything great."  
  
Serena looked at Molly quizzically and cocked her head to the side.  
  
"Last night, I had a nightmare again. I've been reliving that night as a nightmare ever since, and I'd just woken up from it, and I was crying, like I've been doing. Then all of a sudden Nephlyte was sitting there, and telling me not to cry, and he was going to help me to feel better."  
  
"Molly!"  
  
"Shh! Keep your voice down!" Molly said, clamping a hand over Serena's mouth, muffling her cries of protest. "It's hard to believe, I know, but it's true! His spirit came to me last night, to try and console me. But while he was there, something happened. His body solidified, and his heart started beating again. Then he held me in his arms and he kissed me, and he told me he would never leave me again."  
  
"Oh, Molly," Serena sighed, "that was all just a dream."  
  
Molly shook her head. "No, it wasn't. This morning when I woke up, he was sleeping on the edge of my bed, on top of my blanket. He's in my room right now. I know it's hard to swallow but...Serena? Are you okay?"  
  
Serena's face had turned white. Her eyes were wide and unseeing, and her breath was coming in shallow gasps. Her hands were trembling in her lap. She looked over at Molly and blinked several times, trying to compose herself. "I'm fine, it's just a little hard to believe," she said, her voice shaking.  
  
"Don't I know! Anyway, I knew I could trust you." Molly looked down at her own hands before continuing. "You...wouldn't like to come over after school today and meet him, would you?"  
  
"What?" Serena asked, surprised. Her eyes went wide again.  
  
"Please? I would feel much better if you would. He has to keep a low profile because if the Negaverse people find out he's still alive, they'll come after him, and kill him all over again. Serena, I couldn't bear it if I lost him a second time. And you're so clever, maybe you could help me figure out a good way to hide him, or something. I just don't think I can handle this all on my own. Will you please help me?" Molly clutched Serena's hands urgently, shaking them a bit. She searched her friend's blue eyes pleadingly.  
  
Serena sighed, letting her shoulders slump. "Okay, Molly. But only because I'm worried about you. I don't completely trust this Nephlyte guy. He could be lying to you."  
  
Molly smiled and shook her head. "I can promise you he's not. I trust him, and I trust his love for me. He told me he loves me, and I believe him."  
  
"Can I come over later this evening, though? I've got detention, as usual, and then I've got to go to a study session with Amy. If I don't, I'll flunk the math test tomorrow for sure."  
  
Molly nodded, smiling. "Sure. I'll see you after dinner, okay? Thanks, Serena."  
  
"No problem," Serena grinned sheepishly. Then, she groaned as the lunch bell rang. "Lunch is over already? I barely had time to eat!"   
  
Molly laughed and waved a quick goodbye to her friend. "I'll see you back in class, Serena."  
  
Serena nodded, stuffing her lunch into her face. Her mind was racing. She couldn't believe that Nephlyte was back. This was BIG trouble for the Sailor Scouts. He knew her identity as Sailor Moon, and he knew how to defeat her. If he was lying to Molly, Serena could be walking into a trap. She looked up and spied Amy across the dell as she shoved her chocolate brownie down her throat.  
  
"Amy!" Serena called, her voice muffled by the food. She swallowed and called out again.  
  
The quiet, blue-haired girl paused and turned to wait for Serena.  
  
"Hi, Serena. What's up?"  
  
Serena lowered her voice so only Amy would hear. "Scout meeting right after school, at the temple. We have a major problem."  
  
Amy nodded. "I'll call Raye on my communicator. You tell Lita."  
  
"Right."  
  
  
Molly jumped off the bus excitedly. She clutched her books to her chest and ran as fast as she could to the OSA.P jewelry store. She burst through the door, nearly knocking down a customer in the process.  
  
"Molly!" her mother scolded from behind the counter.  
  
"Sorry! Sorry, ma'am," Molly blushed. "Excuse me, Mama. I've got a lot of homework to get started on. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. Serena's coming over after dinner to work on a project." It wasn't exactly a lie. Miss Haruna had given them a load of homework, but Molly wasn't planning on starting it anytime soon. And Serena would be paying a visit later on to help with a "project." She picked up her books from where they had fallen, and rushed upstairs, leaving her mother to stare after her.  
  
Molly bounded up the stairs and down the hall to her room. She burst inside, flinging her books onto her bed. She stopped cold three paces in and looked around the room in surprise. It was clean. The bed had been made, the mess of papers in the corner straightened and piled neatly on her desk, the laundry placed neatly in her hamper. She scanned her room quickly, goosebumps rising on her arms. It was empty. She closed the door carefully behind her, clicking the lock into place. "Nephlyte?"  
  
Nephlyte stepped from behind the partially closed closet door, causing Molly to jump. He rushed over to her and put his arms around her. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I heard some noise outside and hid, because I wasn't sure who it was."  
  
Molly smiled up at him. "I see you cleaned up."  
  
"I had some time on my hands."  
  
Molly laughed. She broke his embrace and plopped down on her bed. She pulled her legs up Indian-style and looked at him seriously. "What else did you get up to today?"  
  
Nephlyte pulled Molly's chair out from her desk, flipped it around, and straddled it. "Not much, really. I did a lot of thinking, and ran a few errands. I visited my old home."  
  
"Old home?" Molly asked.  
  
"An abandoned mansion I'd set up residence in as Maxfield Stanton."  
  
"Wasn't that dangerous? And how'd you get out of here without my mom seeing you?"  
  
Nephlyte chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Molly, Molly, Molly! Have you forgotten?"  
  
Molly looked at him, her head tilted to one side.  
  
Nephlyte stood up and held his arms open. "One, two, three," he said for effect, then disappeared.  
  
"Nephlyte?" Molly called, her eyes wide. Two arms slithered around her waist from behind, pulling her into a tight embrace. She gasped and twisted her head around. Nephlyte knelt behind her on the bed, smirking.  
  
"Oh, you!" Molly said, turning in his grasp and pushing on his chest lightly. Nephlyte leant back, toppling onto Molly's bed, pulling her along. She cried out, then flung her hands over her mouth, hoping her mother hadn't heard. Nephlyte lifted his head and kissed the backs of her hands, causing Molly to sigh and settle down against his chest. Her hands left her mouth and rested lightly below his collarbone. "I had forgotten," Molly said absently.   
  
"I figured. Oh, how easily they forget the simplest of tasks, these humans."  
  
"Nephlyte!" Molly cried, grinning. She pulled herself up and hopped off her bed. She turned to him, hands on her hips. She stared down at him, trying not to smile at the expression on his face. He looked like a lost puppy dog, which was something Molly would never have associated with the commanding man. His imploring gaze finally broke her resolve. She burst out laughing, doubling over and wrapping her arms around her belly. She glanced up to see Nephlyte grinning evilly. He caught her gaze and winked at her, causing Molly to laugh harder.  
  
Nephlyte pushed himself into a sitting position and rose, his arms encircling Molly tightly. "Thank you," he whispered into her hair.  
  
Molly's laughter died away and she looked up, meeting his gaze and searching his eyes. "For what?"  
  
Nephlyte shook his head, a thin smile playing across his lips. He squeezed Molly tightly, then released her, resuming his place on her chair.  
  
Molly plopped back down on her bed, dangling her legs over the edge. "What were we talking about?"  
  
Nephlyte chuckled. "Our respective days."  
  
"Right! So, why'd you go to your old house?"  
  
"I wanted to get a few things from the old place, things that will be beneficial to me in the near future."  
  
"Like?" Molly prompted, waving her hand in a circle impatiently.  
  
"Money, ID, my drivers' license, birth certificate for Maxfield, important papers, things like that. Then, I went to the bank and put all my documents into my safety deposit box, and convinced the attendant that I had done it months ago."  
  
"How'd you do that?"  
  
Nephlyte grinned evilly. "I can be very... persuasive, when I need to be."  
  
"You mean you hypnotized her."  
  
Nephlyte nodded. "I didn't want to leave anything incriminating in the house. If Queen Beryl has any reason to think I'm still alive, that's more than likely the first place that will be searched. The Negaverse doesn't know my identity on Earth, but it's something that wouldn't be too difficult to figure out, if they had the right clues."  
  
"So we don't have to do the secret thing?"  
  
Nephlyte eyed her warily. "What do you mean, the secret thing."  
  
"Well, you can move around freely in Tokyo, right? I mean, since the Negaverse doesn't know you're Maxfield Stanton. You can come and go as you please."  
  
Nephlyte shook his head. " Maxfield Stanton has been missing for three weeks, remember? It might look suspicious for him to resurface now. I'm hoping I can lie low long enough for Sailor Moon and company to defeat Beryl. Then, I won't have to worry. What about you? How was school?"  
  
Molly sighed. "School was school. Miss Haruna gave us a ton of homework, Melvin bugged me again, I had a big gossip session at lunch with Serena, the usual. Or at least, it used to be the usual. This is the first time I've been social in a while."  
  
Nephlyte looked at her sadly, mentally cursing himself for causing her so much pain. He glanced at the clock on Molly's nightstand. "What time do you eat?"  
  
"Six, why?" Molly turned to the clock. Her eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh, I'm gonna be late setting the table! I'll be back in a little while, and I'll try to bring you some of the leftovers." Molly jumped up, pecked Nephlyte on the cheek, and dashed down half a level of stairs, slamming the door in her wake. Nephlyte chuckled, and warded the door, so her mother wouldn't sneak up on him. 


	3. Reunion, Chapter3

Reunion-chapter 3  
By Lufia, Xelloss no Miko  
Rating:  
Type: Sailor Moon, Romance, AU  
  
Note: Sailor Moon doesn't belong to me (I wish it did, but oh well.) It belongs to a very gifted woman named Naoko Takeuchi. It also belongs to Kodansha, Toei, DiC, Mixx, Cloverway, and many other people I can't even begin to name. In other words, don't sue me, please. I'm a poor college student who likes to write, that's all.   
  
Further Note: I'm using the DiC dub names in this fanfic because it's the series I know best. Being an American, I don't have access to all the pretty Japanese episodes, except through the internet realplayer files and friendly neighborhood fansubbers. I do, however, have access to Cartoon Network, and have seen the entire English run several times over. I happen to like the dub (for what it is), for the most part. That being said, enjoy the fic!  
  
Send all comments to: Nightmare_Queen@Mazoku.zzn.com  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
Raye hunkered down on the steps to her temple and turned to the other scouts. "So, do you mind telling us what the deal is, Serena?" she asked, slightly annoyed that it was last minute again.  
  
"Yeah," Lita said, leaning against a temple pillar. "What's so vital?"  
  
"Yes, Serena, do tell. It's not like you to show this much initiative," Luna chimed in, licking her paw nonchalantly.  
  
Serena stuck her tongue out at Raye, then turned to Amy. "Aren't you going to comment too?"  
  
"No."  
  
Serena smiled. At least one of her friends wasn't dumping on her. "Well," she began, and quickly gave the other scouts a recap of Molly's story. Amy and Raye looked at each other worriedly, and even Luna seemed uneasy at the news. Only Lita listened unmoved.  
  
"So who's this Nephlyte guy anyway?"  
  
"Oooohh, Lita! Haven't you been listening? He's a general from the Negaverse! He's evil to the max!" Serena shouted, waving her arms about.  
  
Lita shrugged. "He hasn't done anything bad so far, it seems."  
  
"Just come back from the dead. No, nothing wrong there," Raye said sarcastically. "Serena's right, this is majorly serious. He could lead the Negaverse right to us."  
  
"Not to mention he could put Molly in a great deal of danger," Amy added.  
  
Luna nodded. "We need to find out more about this situation. Serena, you're going over to Molly's this evening, right?"  
  
"Uh huh" Serena nodded. "She wants me to meet Nephlyte, so I can help him out, or something. But I'm really worried about this."  
  
"Why? It's not like he knows who you are or anything," Lita shrugged.  
  
"Umm...that's not exactly the case," Serena said, blushing. "The night he was killed, he tricked me into transforming in the street, and he saw who I was. But, when he died, he said that my secret was safe, so I don't know."  
  
Lita stared at her dumbfoundedly. "You let him see who you were?"  
  
"It wasn't just me!" Serena cried. "When we went up against Jadeite, he tricked us all into transforming for him, Mars and Mercury too."  
  
Lita sighed, sliding down into a sitting position and clasping her hands around her drawn-up knees. "I don't believe you."  
  
Raye opened her mouth to say something, but Luna interrupted.  
  
"We're getting way off the subject here, girls. We've got to figure out the best strategy for Serena's spying mission."  
  
"Me? You want me to be a spy? Be serious, Luna, you know I can't do that. I'm not the spy type? Why can't Raye spy?"  
  
"Serena, you're Molly's best friend," Amy said. "It would be way more believable if you gathered intelligence. And has she even met Raye? I don't know Molly well enough for her to invite me in, and she seems to be a little intimidated by Lita. You can keep an eye on her better than any of us, and use the opportunity to find out as much as you can as to why Nephlyte's returned."  
  
"But he knows who I am!" Serena whined.  
  
"Exactly. Don't you think he'll figure out who we are if we suddenly show up and start asking questions? He knows that, besides Sailor Moon, there are two other sailor scouts, Mars and Mercury. If Raye or I go, well, it won't be too difficult for him to put two and two together. Neither of us knows Molly well enough to sound believable. And we can't afford to have the rest of the scouts to be exposed. Frankly, I'm surprised the Negaverse hasn't figured out who we are yet."  
  
"Yeah. You're on even ground with Nephlyte. You know who he is, and he knows who you are. And he knows you could turn him into moondust in a heartbeat," Raye added.  
  
Serena hung her head. "Okay," she grumbled. "I'll do it. But Luna's coming along for backup."  
  
Luna smirked. "Isn't Mrs. Baker allergic to cats?"  
  
"Luna!"  
  
Lita glanced at her watch. "You'd better get going. It's nearly 6, and you haven't eaten dinner yet. What time did you tell Molly you'd be there?"  
  
"After supper?" Serena said.  
  
"Good. We'll meet back here when you're done," Raye said, standing up and effectively ending the meeting.  
  
"Right," the girls chorused.  
  
  
Molly sat hunched over at her desk, shaking her head at her math assignment. She'd been working on the same page of problems for half an hour now, waiting for Serena to show up, and she still didn't have a clue how to work the problems. She groaned as she ripped another scribbled out problem from her notebook and tossed it on the ground.  
  
Nephlyte looked up from Molly's laptop computer. "Problems?"  
  
"I hate math!" Molly cried, slamming the book closed. "It's a complete waste of time! Who cares about the compound interest formula anyway?"  
  
Nephlyte walked over to her and reopened the dreaded book. "I do," he said.  
  
Molly looked up at him. "Why? What do you need it for?"  
  
Nephlyte chuckled. "I have bank accounts, Molly. The compound interest formula tells me how much money I would have at different interest rates over a certain length of time. This way, I could see which savings option was the most practical, and would accrue the most interest."  
  
"Wow," Molly said, blinking.  
  
"Here, I'll help you with this..."  
  
  
Serena stood in front of the door that led to the Baker's apartment above the OSA.P. She hadn't bothered to change out of her school uniform before coming. She pressed the doorbell once, gulped, and clutched her locket with one hand, ready to use it's power at a moment's notice.   
  
"Hello, Serena." Mrs. Baker opened the door, smiling, and ushered Serena in.  
  
"Hi, Mrs. Baker. I'm here to work on a project with Molly," Serena said, hoping the squeak at the beginning of her sentence hadn't been too noticeable. "Is she around?"  
  
"She's up in her room. You can head on up. She hasn't come out all afternoon, except for dinner. She's really working hard." Mrs. Baker leant forward, beckoning Serena closer with one hand. "To tell you the truth," she said quietly, "I'm really glad that she's so dedicated now. For the past several weeks, she's had a cloud hanging over her head, and she wouldn't tell me what was bothering her. But now she's been so happy, and I'm so relieved. It wasn't anything at school, was it?"  
  
Serena shook her head. "I'm glad too. She wouldn't tell me much, just that she'd had some bad dreams lately. Well, see you later, Mrs. Baker!" Serena waved and dashed up the stairs to Molly's room before her mother could grill her anymore. The door was shut, and Serena could hear voices inside, despite the rather loud radio in the background. Molly was giggling, and a man could be heard chuckling as well. Filled with a sudden determination, Serena knocked on the door three times. Inside the room, the noise stopped suddenly. The radio was turned off. Serena could hear a faint "who is it" be called by her friend. "It's Serena! Sorry I'm late!" the meatball-headed girl called. The door opened a crack, and Molly's green eye scanned her quickly. A hand darted out and pulled Serena through the door. Serena cried out, but quickly realized that Molly only wanted privacy.  
  
"Hey Serena!" Molly said happily, clicking the lock of her door into place. She was wearing her long green skirt and a fitted blouse, and had changed the bow in her auburn curls to a dark green one. Serena stared at her.  
  
"How come you're all dressed up?"  
  
Molly giggled. "I'm on a date." She inclined her head toward the window.  
  
Serena turned, feeling a lump rising in her throat. Her body tensed as she laid eyes on the man at the window. It was Nephlyte. He was wearing the suit he preferred when masquerading as Maxfield Stanton, and sitting in Molly's desk chair, holding a cookie halfway up to his mouth. He turned to look at Serena, put the cookie down, and rose.  
  
"You must be Serena," Nephlyte said, crossing over to her and holding out his hand. "Molly's told me a lot about you."  
  
"And you're Nephlyte," Serena said, shaking his hand stiffly. "I've heard of you too."  
  
Nephlyte smiled at Molly, who came to stand by him. "I must admit, this is more awkward than I thought it was going to be, Molly," he said, sliding an arm around her waist.  
  
Serena stiffened more at that gesture. It was wrong of him to be holding her best friend like that, like she belonged to him in some way. Serena wanted badly to transform and finish him off right here, but decided that wouldn't be the best course of action to take. "So you really worked for an evil dimension?" Serena said, trying not to let her hatred come through in her voice.  
  
Nephlyte nodded. "I was a general in a place called the Negaverse, under a queen called Beryl. Our goals were to gather energy from the humans to free the Negaforce, the source of our power, and to retrieve an item called the Imperium Silver Crystal. I don't suppose you've heard of it?"  
  
Serena shook her head slowly, unsure of how he wanted her to respond. "So now that you're good, this Beryl has no more bad guys to send to Earth?"  
  
"There's another one, Serena," Molly said. "Remember that weird girl in the graveyard, with the blonde hair? She's one of the Negaverse generals too. That's Zoycite, the one who sent the monster to attack Nephlyte and me."  
  
"And there is one more after Zoycite. Her lover, Malachite, and he is the worst of us all." Nephlyte shuddered as he mentioned the final general.  
  
"There's two more? That's just what we need," Serena muttered. "Wait till I tell the others."  
  
"Serena?"  
  
"Huh?" Serena snapped her head up. She laughed hollowly. "I'm just talking to myself, that's all. Sorry, my mind was in outer space."  
  
"You weren't thinking of Tuxedo Mask, were you?" Molly teased.  
  
"Tuxedo Mask," Nephlyte mused, scratching his chin. "I know him. I used to fight against him. You're out of luck, Serena. Tuxedo Mask's heart belongs to Sailor Moon."  
  
Serena opened her mouth to say something, but shut it again immediately. He was baiting her deliberately, teasing her with the fact that he knew who she was. She wished that she had something to hang over him in return, but he'd already told Molly all about his time with the Negaverse, and Molly seemed to accept his twisted past. Serena was saved from her uncomfortableness by the rumbling of her stomach.  
  
"Oh Serena!" Molly laughed. Serena flushed bright red. Molly waved her hand dismissively. "It's okay, I'll go and get us some more snacks. Be right back!"  
  
As soon as Molly had left the room, Serena whirled on Nephlyte. She stared at him, eyes narrow, hands on hips. "Okay, Nephlyte, what's the real story here? Why are you back? What's your plan this time?"  
  
Nephlyte chuckled, lifting a hand to his mouth. "Sailor Moon, you're too suspicious. For once, I am telling the truth. I have no evil intentions. And I'm as perplexed by this turn of events as you are."  
  
"Don't call me Sailor Moon here," Serena hissed. "Molly doesn't know. She can't know. It would put her in way too much danger. She's already in too deeply. She shouldn't know as much as she does about the Negaverse and the Sailor Scouts."  
  
"For once, you and I agree on something. Molly can't be put in any danger. I don't know what I'd do if..."   
  
Serena squinted at Nephlyte, her demeanor softening. He wiped at his eyes furiously. Serena felt her throat grow tight. He really did care about Molly. He wasn't just using her. Serena didn't have any hard evidence to this fact, but she knew it was true. Before she herself even realized it, she was beside Nephlyte, patting him on the arm. He looked down at her, his eyes wide.  
  
"I understand," Serena said. "Molly is my best friend. I know it's not the same as what you feel for her, but I don't know what I'd do if I lost her because of some stupid monster."  
  
Nephlyte smiled faintly. "Then you believe me? Honestly?"  
  
Serena nodded. "I don't know why, but I have a feeling about you."  
  
"You might want to get Sailor Mars to her psychic thing on me, just to be sure. You shouldn't always act on instinct alone. Queen Beryl is very clever, and so are the other generals."  
  
Serena nodded. "Zoycite is a pain in the butt. Half the time, I can't tell if she hates Tuxedo Mask, or if she's trying to flirt with him in some weird way."  
  
Nephlyte laughed at this. He bent backwards, his hands on his stomach. He didn't laugh out loud, but he laughed heartily. "You've got nothing to worry about there, Serena. Zoycite is VERY attached to Malachite. They've been lovers since the Silver Millenium. Endymion was always after them to be more discreet."  
  
Serena's eyes widened. She clutched Nephlyte's sleeve tightly, turning him to face her. "Who told them to be discreet? What about the Silver Millenium? What is that? It sounds so familiar..."  
  
"Nephlyte? What's going on?"  
  
Serena and Nephlyte froze and turned to the doorway. Molly stood just inside the room, her eyes flashing. In one hand she held a tray of cookies and lemonade. She flicked the lock closed with her other hand.  
  
"Oh, uh, hi, Molly," Serena floundered. "I, we, uh..."  
  
"I told her I know Tuxedo Mask's secret identity, and she's been bugging me to tell her who he really is," Nephlyte covered, cursing inwardly.  
  
Serena's eyes lit up. She turned back to Nephlyte, tugging on his arm insistently. "Come on, Nephlyte! Tell me tell me tell me! Is it Andrew at the arcade? Andrew, the one with the sandy hair and green sparkling eyes? Ooh, I'm sure it is! Please, Nephlyte?"  
  
Molly was smiling now. "Typical Serena." She set the tray down on the table. "Do you really know who Tuxedo Mask is?"  
  
Nephlyte smirked and winked at Molly. "You know as well, my love. You met him before, at the Princess Ball."  
  
"Did I?"  
  
"Yes, the suave young man who danced with you for two hours straight, then gazed at the stars with you on the balcony."  
  
Molly smiled and sighed. "He wore a purple tuxedo and a mask with winglets, and he had the most gorgeous hair, it was so long and wavy."  
  
Serena paused in her assault on Nephlyte. "Molly, you told me you danced with Maxfield Stanton at the Princess Ball. But..." she trailed off, playing into the joke, and silently thanking Nephlyte's quick thinking. "Wait a minute, Tuxedo Mask has a black tuxedo and a cape! Nephlyte!"  
  
"I was only joking, Serena."  
  
Serena smiled. This wasn't turning out half bad. 


	4. Reunion, Chapter 4

Reunion-chapter 4  
By Lufia, Xelloss no Miko  
Rating:  
Type: Sailor Moon, Romance, AU  
  
Note: Sailor Moon doesn't belong to me (I wish it did, but oh well.) It belongs to a very gifted woman named Naoko Takeuchi. It also belongs to Kodansha, Toei, DiC, Mixx, Cloverway, and many other people I can't even begin to name. In other words, don't sue me, please. I'm a poor college student who likes to write, that's all.   
  
Further Note: I'm using the DiC dub names in this fanfic because it's the series I know best. Being an American, I don't have access to all the pretty Japanese episodes, except through the internet realplayer files and friendly neighborhood fansubbers. I do, however, have access to Cartoon Network, and have seen the entire English run several times over. I happen to like the dub (for what it is), for the most part. That being said, enjoy the fic!  
  
Send all comments to: Nightmare_Queen@Mazoku.zzn.com  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
The next morning, Molly was again up with her alarm, and out the door before her mother had to yell at her. She wondered what had happened to make Molly so conscientious all of a sudden. "My little girl's growing up," she thought tearfully as Molly bounded out the door for school.  
  
Molly jogged to school this morning, planning on getting there early. Serena had promised she'd be on time today, so the two of them could discuss Nephlyte. She stopped at their lunch spot and rested on the tree to catch her breath.   
  
"Molly!"  
  
Molly looked up, groaning inwardly as she saw who was coming toward her. It was Melvin, the geeky-haired dweeb who followed her around like a sick puppy.   
  
"Hello, Melvin," she forced herself to say cheerily. Maybe he wouldn't be too annoying today.  
  
Melvin stopped in front of her. "You're here really early today, Molly."  
  
Molly nodded. "I'm waiting for Serena. What about you?"  
  
Melvin held up a computer disk. "More earthworm research. I'm transferring my hard copy to disk, so I can refer to it while I'm on the Internet."  
  
"That's...great Melvin," Molly said. She spied Serena running toward the school. "Gotta go, Melvin. Bye!"  
  
Melvin stared after Molly's retreating form. He hoped they'd be talking about him. He really liked Molly, and he knew Serena thought they looked cute together. He'd have to pump the meatball-headed girl for information later.  
  
"Serena!" Molly called.  
  
"Hi, Molly," Serena panted, catching her breath. "Have you been waiting long?"  
  
"Long enough to fight off the resident dweebmeister," Molly said, chucking her thumb over her shoulder at Melvin, "but no, not long. So?"  
  
"So...what, Molly?"  
  
Molly bounced up and down on her heels. "What did you think of Nephlyte?"  
  
"He seems...nice, Molly."  
  
Molly beamed. "So you'll help us?"  
  
Serena nodded. "I'll try to help you."  
  
Molly threw her arms around Serena, hugging her tightly. "Oh thank you so much Serena!" she squealed.  
  
"I want to keep an eye on this guy, make sure you don't get hurt."  
  
"I won't," Molly said, breaking the embrace. She stepped back a pace or two. "Nephlyte would never hurt me."  
  
"I know, but I worry about you. You've already been hurt so many times! Remember what happened at the wrestling thing this past weekend?"  
Molly shuddered as the events replayed themselves in her mind. She, Serena, and Melvin had gone to watch the fantasy-wrestling match, thanks to Andrew and his free tickets. Zoycite had shown up, and had turned one of the wrestlers into a monster, who had trapped the crowd inside giant bushes, nearly suffocating everyone. Luckily, Sailor Moon had been able to defeat the monster and free the crowd. But Molly instinctively knew that Zoycite had escaped.  
"Nephlyte wouldn't put me in any danger," Molly said. "He doesn't like Zoycite or the Negaverse any more than the Sailor Scouts do."  
  
"I wouldn't bet on that," Serena grumbled.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Oh, nothing," Serena said, laughing quickly to cover her gaff. "I still have some little doubts about this guy. But if you trust him...you're my best friend, Molly, and I'll help you in any way I can, as long as helping doesn't put either of us in danger."  
  
Molly smiled and hugged her friend tightly. "Thanks, Serena. Why don't you come over after school today? We can strategize."  
  
Serena nodded. Her eyes widened as the tardy bell rang. 'Ooh! I can't believe this! The one day we get to school early, we end up just as late!" She grabbed Molly's hand and pulled her into the building quickly.  
  
  
Nephlyte stood at the top of the stairs, listening intently to the shop bustle below. There! He could hear Molly's mother's voice. She was deep in conversation with a customer over a sapphire pendant. Satisfied that she was sufficiently occupied, Nephlyte headed down the stairs as quickly as possible, holding his shoes in his hand. He padded through the stockroom to the back door, slipped his shoes on, and stepped into the alleyway behind the store.  
  
Nephlyte didn't want to risk too many teleportations. Despite his appearance of nonchalance when showing off to Molly last night, Nephlyte was nervous. He was afraid that the Negaverse would pick up his teleport signature if he traveled that way too often. Besides, it was a pleasantly sunny day, and he felt like walking.  
  
He strode out into the street as if he owned it. Hiding in plain sight was easy for someone with his powers. Act normal, no one took any notice of you. Act like you were trying to hide, and it was guaranteed that everyone would stare at you. He walked quickly, but not so hastily that people would think he was avoiding something, to the bank. He had one more transaction to make before fading into the woodwork for a few weeks.  
  
Nephlyte frowned as he entered the First Tokyo Bank. It was crowded. All the tellers had lines at least ten people deep waiting for them. He glanced over at the desk people. They were similarly occupied, although their lines weren't quite as long. Nephlyte sighed and chose a desk line at random. He wished he'd brought a paper.  
  
He'd been waiting in line nearly forty-five minutes when the attack came. Three heavily built men burst through the doors of the bank, masks down, guns aimed high.  
  
"Everybody freeze!" the lead man cried out, brandishing his pistol. "This is a hold up! Do what we say if you don't want to get hurt."  
  
Nephlyte glared at the men angrily, but did nothing. He couldn't risk revealing his powers in such a crowded place, and he didn't want to attract the Negaverse's attention with a surge of power. He sat on the floor with the other customers when told to do so. He forced himself to keep quiet and still as the men went from line to line, demanding all the money and valuables the bank patrons had on their persons. Slowly, they made their way toward him. Nephlyte grew anxious. He couldn't let them have his valuables, or he would have no identity on Earth. He had to do something. He tensed, preparing to gather his energy into a tangible object to hit them with.  
  
"Stop right there, evil doers!"  
  
Nephlyte looked up, relieved. He didn't need to use his energy after all. His gaze turned to the door, along with the other patrons, as they tried to see who had spoken. He recognized the silhouette framed in the doorway, but the voice sounded...wrong.  
  
"How dare you attack innocent bankers! I am Sailor Moon, the champion of justice, and on behalf of the moon, I will punish you!"  
  
"Well," Nephlyte thought, "whoever it is certainly has the lame speeches down pat."  
  
Sailor Moon leapt into the room, engaging the robbers in hand to hand combat. She flipped one of the men over her shoulder, and kicked another one in his stomach. She alternated between kicking the third one's knees and punching his face.   
  
Nephlyte watched Sailor Moon curiously. Something was definitely wrong. She didn't fight physically, she hit things with her tiara and struck poses until the other scouts could burn or fog them. She was never this brave. And the body proportions were off from what he remembered. And her scout costume was the wrong colors. And her eyes were green, rather than the blue he remembered. Green? Green! He gasped as he realized who was playing dress-up.  
  
"Zoycite!" he whispered, his eyes filling with hatred. But what was she playing at?   
  
Nephlyte glanced around at the other patrons. Most were rising shakily to their feet, and forming a crowd around "Sailor Moon" while she fought. Nephlyte rose as well, and made his way to the back of the crowd. The last thing he needed was Zoycite knowing he was alive. He turned back as the crowd sent up a cheer. "Sailor Moon" had bested the men, and tied them up for the police to handle.  
  
"Never fear, citizens of Tokyo. Sailor Moon will protect you from all forms of evil!"   
  
With that last arrogant line, "Sailor Moon" dashed for the door. As she passed through, she caught a glimpse of a familiar head of hair and flashing blue eyes at the back of the crowd. "It couldn't be!" she thought as she leapt up on to the flagpole, then to the roof, and landed gracefully. "Could it?" 


End file.
